Mossimo Giannulli Pleads Guilty in College Bribery Scam

LEGAL

Designer Mossimo Giannulli and his actor wife, Lori Loughlin, best known for playing Aunt Becky on the sitcom “Full House,” which ran from 1987 to 1992, agreed to plead guilty for their involvement in the Operation Varsity Blues college-admissions bribery scandal that dominated national news in 2019.

Last year, the celebrity couple were among the few who were charged in the scandal to maintain their innocence. But on May 21, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston announced that Giannulli and Loughlin would plead guilty to conspiracy charges to fraudulently gain admission to bring their two daughters as athletic recruits to University of Southern California. The daughters, Olivia Jade and Bella Giannulli are best known as social-media influencers.

Giannulli and Loughlin made plea agreements. Upon the court’s approval, Giannulli will serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine and complete 250 hours of community service, along with two years of supervised release. Loughlin will serve two months in prison, pay a $150,000 fine and complete 100 hours of community service, along with two years of supervised release, said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.

“Under the plea agreements filed today, these defendants will serve prison terms reflecting their respective roles in a conspiracy to corrupt the college-admissions process and which are consistent with prior sentences in this case,” Lelling said. “We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions.”

Giannulli climbed to prominence with the self-named, beach-culture influenced, streetwear line Mossimo. He started it in 1987 after dropping out of USC and his company blossomed into a multimillion-dollar lifestyle company that made women’s styles as well as men’s tailored suits. In 1996, the company went public. In 2000, the company announced a $27.8 million licensing agreement with Target and, in 2006, Mossimo was acquired by Iconix Brand Group.